I was speaking about my desire to go to Africa with several folks last week. It was stated that its rare that you hear of deaths in Africa. I hear this or that story from those who frequent Africa, but not in the media or in my readings.

How many folks die on safaris?

Is it shunned to speak about, or just hidden?

I'm not sure what you are after...

According to the PH's I have hunted with;

Its unusual, but happens that a PH will get mauled a bit with wounded cats. Most typically leopard.

Its very rare that PH's get hit by buff or elephant, and if they do its usually bad.

Its orders of magnitude more likely that a PH will get hit than the client- part of this is that its their job to look out for you (often at their own expense- these guys are true "professionals" here...)

Its not that unusual for a client to have a problem related to their own health though- Heart attack, stroke, diabetic complication, heat stroke, malaria, etc. although I only heard about 2-3 who actually died.

Essentially, African hunting is safer than all those "extreme sports" and probably a bit safer than pursuing sheep or goats in the mountains.

Of course, this is all nonscientific "WAG" for actual risk rates, but the best I can come up with off the top of my head.

Rhromm,

How many people die mountain climbing? How many people die running marathons?

There are risks associated with certain sports and African safari hunting is no different.

I'm sure an enterprising fellow like yourself has the where-with-all & skill to seek out the keeper of the statistics you are looking for: as I am also sure you are not someone hiding behind internet anonymity attempting to stir up the stuff for God knows what reason !!

If you frequent this site long enough you will see this community pays homage to those who may have died while hunting. IT IS NOT HIDDEN OR SHUNNED.

GROW UP - GET A LIFE

Most every PH I have spoken to fears getting accidentally shot by a client much more than they fear DG. The number of accidents or close calls on the former front probably greatly outnumbers the latter occurrence. I would also wager that a client dying or needing emergency medical care is much more common than either a PH getting shot (or nearly so) or run over by a critter.

I have been hunting for as long as I can remember, and in Africa since 1982.

And I honestly never gave the idea of getting hurt while hunting any thoughts at all.

In fact, I definitely feel much safer than driving on our roads.

Accident do happen.

Sometimes one can see it coming after the fact, and sometimes things just go south without any explanation at all.

I shared a camp with a gentleman who died on that hunt.
He was in poor health due to excessive drink.

When an ccident does happen, you will find that as much details about it is posted, Hopefully so we can learn from what had happened and avoid it happeing again.

Yep they happen all the time!

Damn wheels falling off the Landcruiser ...

Hunting dangerous game in Africa is not "dangerous hunting". Yes things happen and people get hurt or die. Sheep and goat hunting is "dangerous" hunting. Having done lots of both African hunting and sheep hunting, I will say that I'm much more anxious about the dangers of sheep hunting than I am of buffalo or elephant hunting, where at times every step for hours can lead to disaster and very serious injury or death if a foot slips or a handhold breaks or a severe storm blows in unexpectedly. And if that happens, it really doesn't matter what caliber rifle you are carrying, or how good a shot you are or how competent your guide is.

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
Damn wheels falling off the Landcruiser ...

in Matabeliland?

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Rhromm,

I agree with all of the above. we hunt buff in some thick stuff and i shot this buff on friday morning (my right ear is still ringing thanks to a back up shot being fired right next to me) he was standing roughly 40m from us and i hit him hard on the shoulder. he ran off and i had a tough time on my hands trying to keep my trackers at bay, they just wanted to go after him. i said that we should wait and let him stiffen up. long story cut short i got the vehicle and we drove over the tracks of the shot buffalo, we found a big pool of blood where he was standing waiting for us, and lay dead 4m further on. needless to say had we run after the buff in the heat of the moment one of us would have been hurt.



note the white dot on his neck above his left knee

quote:

Originally posted by Andrew McLaren:

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
Damn wheels falling off the Landcruiser ...

in Matabeliland?

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Andrew

Ha ha coming up the escarpment from Lake Kariba in Omay.

Forget the buffalo and elephant! I'm talking African roads and driving!!!! Now that's what scares me! Yikes!!!!!!!!

Brett

I was trying to discern the American comments of danger versus the truth. From my readings the leopard appears to be the true killer. The bacteria from eating rotten meats seems to kill more than the leopards.

I think one of the biggest comments (maybe misconception) is the political unstability of Africa.

Reason for asking was everytime I tell someone I am planning on working in Africa next summer, the answer is the same "lord, thats a dangerous place." Typical church goers I reckon?

quote:

Originally posted by rhromm:
I was trying to discern the American comments of danger versus the truth. From my readings the leopard appears to be the true killer. The bacteria from eating rotten meats seems to kill more than the leopards.

I think one of the biggest comments (maybe misconception) is the political unstability of Africa.

Reason for asking was everytime I tell someone I am planning on working in Africa next summer, the answer is the same "lord, thats a dangerous place." Typical church goers I reckon?

Clarify what appears to be conflicting statements you have made in the above post vs your original post.

A. Originally you said you couldn't find any info on deaths in Africa but you then come back & say in your readings you find leopard & rotten meats as killers.

B. You state the people you share your African plans with tell you "thats a dangerous place" but yet in your original post you say "It was stated that its rare that you hear of deaths in Africa"

Where are you coming from on this?

By information, I mean it is not widely posted on current deaths. I have read Robert Ruark's stories and am in the process of reading Death in the Long Grass as well as some of WDM Bell.

Out of the many folks I have spoken to about my intentions of Africa, one close friend stated that if it was as dangerous as the naysayers claim, that you would hear of more deaths.

quote:

Originally posted by rhromm:
I was trying to discern the American comments of danger versus the truth. From my readings the leopard appears to be the true killer. The bacteria from eating rotten meats seems to kill more than the leopards.

I think one of the biggest comments (maybe misconception) is the political unstability of Africa.

Reason for asking was everytime I tell someone I am planning on working in Africa next summer, the answer is the same "lord, thats a dangerous place." Typical church goers I reckon?

Not sure why you had to say "American comments of danger versus the truth", this board is visited by people from all over the world, and since I actually bother to read here instead of just making insinuations I can tell you the stories of danger are not restricted to Americans. As for my own experience, the only danger I felt on my one trip to SA was my landing in PE, that particular pilot seemed to believe hot 'n fast was the order of the day. Other than that, it was a fine trip with no concerns. Of course that is just the opinion of another American blowhard.

To bring the discussion back to the topic title of "Hunting Accidents."

One of our clients back in the early 1990's quite literally blew his hand to pieces.

He had just successfully shot a Hippo, and whilst we were now roping the giant in, he asked if he could take his 8mm (forget more details, but remember it having an hexagonal barrel) and test fire it to make sure all was well. He had just shot his Hippo with a 375.

We all heard the shot go off, and I remember us all looking at each other and commenting on the sound, and how wierd it was, certainly didn't sound like a gunshot. Regardless, we continued on with our business of the Hippo.

Peter, the tracker, was the first to notice, and his face didn't exactly paint a pretty picture. Turning around we noticed our client clutching his hands to his blood covered chest, and promptly fainting.

To cut a long story short, we managed to get him to hospital, some 120kms away (on a Sunday as well), where the doctor had wanted a full amputation !! Some 6 hours later he was in a Johannesburg hospital where the doctor wanted a partial amputation, and another day later, in the USA, the doctor saved the hand except the thumb !! T.I.A.

What caused it? We later learned the rifle had been in a house fire, which we believe had altered the tempering of the barrel, and associated with hot loads, the pressures were just too much, so the chamber exploded. Unfortunately, whilst leaning on the hood of the Landcruiser testing the rifle, he had placed his hand over the bullet chamber, right where the pressures released.

So be warned and think about how you hold your rifle when resting on sand bags etc.....I am so aware of it now.

Goodness, being just days away from leaving for my first ever African safari, I really debated whether I should even open this thread and read it. LOL. But, actually I'm glad I did. It reinforces what I've been told that I'm probably in more danger driving then hunting!

That said, I have four boys who are a little worried about mom getting eaten.

quote:

Originally posted by rhromm:
By information, I mean it is not widely posted on current deaths. I have read Robert Ruark's stories and am in the process of reading Death in the Long Grass as well as some of WDM Bell.

Out of the many folks I have spoken to about my intentions of Africa, one close friend stated that if it was as dangerous as the naysayers claim, that you would hear of more deaths.

One reason you don't hear of hunting deaths anyplace is because the main stream media simply shy away from the reporting of anything to do with hunting! In Africa, however, there are far mr animal related deaths to locals than to safari hunters. Many of these go unreported, simply because they are just a way of life to many women, and kids who play, and work close to rivers, where hippos, and crocs are a major factor, and many of those taken unwitnessed are never found. in some areas many locals are hurt or killed trying to protect their corps from buffalo, and elephant, also many not reported.

For the client hunter, as has already been stated, they are more in danger from their own conditioning and health problems, and failier to properly use their prophylaxsis to avoid bug transmited desease! Those usually die after they get home.

For the PH, and trackers the bigest danger is being killed by the client shooting them, IMO!

quote:

Originally posted by boltshooter:

quote:

Originally posted by rhromm:
I was trying to discern the American comments of danger versus the truth. From my readings the leopard appears to be the true killer. The bacteria from eating rotten meats seems to kill more than the leopards.

I think one of the biggest comments (maybe misconception) is the political unstability of Africa.

Reason for asking was everytime I tell someone I am planning on working in Africa next summer, the answer is the same "lord, thats a dangerous place." Typical church goers I reckon?

Clarify what appears to be conflicting statements you have made in the above post vs your original post.

A. Originally you said you couldn't find any info on deaths in Africa but you then come back & say in your readings you find leopard & rotten meats as killers.

B. You state the people you share your African plans with tell you "thats a dangerous place" but yet in your original post you say "It was stated that its rare that you hear of deaths in Africa"

Where are you coming from on this?

He is new and he is young. He means no harm.

quote:

Originally posted by rhromm:
I was speaking about my desire to go to Africa with several folks last week. It was stated that its rare that you hear of deaths in Africa. I hear this or that story from those who frequent Africa, but not in the media or in my readings.

How many folks die on safaris?

Is it shunned to speak about, or just hidden?

I sort of get the gist of your query and generally the client is very well looked after by the PH who is fully qualified to do so.

In life one takes risks and the hunting of dangerous game is potentially hazardous but I have yet to come a cross a death in the field.

Normally it is the PH who gets scratched or horned but death by hunting in Africa is extremely rare and as someone commented more likely to be the cause of ill health or careless driving, but like I said I have never come this scenario to date.

Rhromm,

My apologies young man.

Recently AR has seen a rash of posts by people whose only intent is to stir up stuff.

You have come to the right place to get answers and not the stuff I almost dished out.

Welcome

hell, you are statically more likely to get hurt in a car accident on the way to and from the airport in the US than you are once you get to Africa- and I am not joking or exaggerating.

as all the above said, your PH will generally save your bacon but ensure that it is not on the line to start with.

two points, something that i have been fighting since last week friday when i shot the buffalo(admittadly symptons only started 72 hours later back in Johannesburg), is a dual dose of A - tickbite fever and B - mild malaria. to put it in words that wont get me kicked off this forum for good - it has been hell, but i am feeling more human today and starting to get over it all

so take your mooty if going to a malaria area and a good looking bird to help look for ticks that might be hiding away

I've responded a number of times on forums to the question - My rifle has been in a fire is it safe to shoot ? I've detailed the signs of danger and made suggestions to scrap or not. I guess that hunter never asked !

458

Please all, allow me a variance from the thread subject and ask 458: what is your doctor treating you with for these conditions? Thanks.

You know I get sick and tired of people accusing Americans of exaggerating the danger associated with African hunting.

I am an American and I was mangled and killed on my last hunt.

So there.